Two Rows of Statues

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In each of two rows, a series of statues is ordered by height. On the bottom row, the shortest statue is 14.1 centimeters tall. On the top row, the tallest statue is 14.01 centimeters tall. What is the median height of all the statues in both rows?

(1) There are 14 statues in the lower row.

(2) There are 15 statues in the upper row.

Review: Two Rows of Statues




Explanation

This question is confusing because we have different heights: statues of various heights, and we have an upper shelf and a lower shelf, but they are not necessarily related in the way that we expect. The key is to focus on the word "median" and work backwards from what we know about that concept. To determine the median of a set, we can order it, put it in a line, and see what's in the middle. That gives us this:

... ... ... ... 14.01) (14.1 ... ... ... ... ...

Where the parentheses delineate the statues on one shelf and those on the other. We have some useful information, it turns out. For example, if the set on the left had a grand total of two statues and the one on the right had a grand total of three statues, we would know that the median is 14.1 Let's move to the data statements, separately first.

Statement (1) gives useful information, but not enough. In one case, there could be a similar number of statues on the other row, putting the median near the middle of our diagram. Or, in another case, there could be just a couple statues in the other part, pushing the median away from the middle of our diagram. Insufficient.

Statement (2) is insufficient for identical reasons.

Combined, we know that the median is 14.01, so the statements are sufficient together.

The correct answer is (C).


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